Stella immediately stood up, her movements swift as she ran toward Justin without a moment’s hesitation.
Weston’s eyes darkened, the emotion quickly dulling as he watched her make her way to him. He stood, adjusting his watch with a calculated calmness.
Justin’s gaze followed Weston’s movement, noticing the watch on his wrist. If he wasn’t mistaken, that watch could probably buy a villa. Weston wasn’t one to flaunt his wealth, but in that moment, it felt like an insult.
The realization hit Justin like a weight, the stark difference between their worlds suddenly apparent. He had always considered his life decent, but standing there, he realized how insignificant his own accomplishments were compared to Weston’s. The helplessness he felt was sharp, but it was soon replaced by a fierce desire to protect Stella—a burning determination that had been dormant in him for forty years.
Wrapping his arms around her, he placed one hand firmly on her back, shielding her with his presence. “Ella and I will go get the marriage certificate tomorrow,” he said with conviction. “As for today’s events, your actions can be considered harassment. I’m curious, Weston—will you join us at the police station?”
Stella’s eyes widened in surprise at Justin’s directness. She hadn’t expected him to be so straightforward.
Justin lowered his head, his gaze tender yet fierce as he focused on her. “Don’t worry,” he reassured her, “I won’t let him hurt you.”
Her heart raced as she looked into his eyes. There was a fire in them, an unspoken promise.
Weston’s expression, however, was one of utter indifference. “How can you still be so innocent at forty?” he scoffed, his eyes narrowing as he regarded Justin like a worthless insect.
Justin frowned, opening his mouth to respond, but before he could speak, a familiar figure rushed toward him. “Justin! Where’s Bryce?”
The woman’s voice was laced with concern. Dressed in her firm’s uniform, she appeared to have just left work. She was only a few years younger than Justin but had kept herself well, her skin glowing with youthfulness. Her neatly brushed hair gave off an air of elegance. Stella instinctively turned to look at her, and it didn’t take long for her to realize—this woman was Justin’s ex-wife, Tina.
Tina’s eyes softened slightly upon noticing Stella, but she remained silent, her gaze fixated on Justin. “How could you leave him alone at the restaurant? Where has he gone?” Her tone was sharp, almost accusatory.
Justin’s face darkened as he turned to the waiter standing nearby. “Didn’t I ask you to watch my son?”
The waiter’s face dropped, his eyes flickering between Justin and Tina as he quickly apologized. “We’re so sorry, ma’am. We didn’t know you were his mother…”
“I told you I’m his mother!” Tina interjected, her voice steady but firm. “Why did you forcefully take him away?”
She continued, her voice calm but tinged with concern. “Bryce called me earlier, so I came from the company to celebrate his birthday. But when I arrived, he was all alone. We were talking when one of the waiters came over, saying you needed to see Bryce alone. They wouldn’t let me follow. I thought it was strange, so I called you, but you didn’t answer. Now, I have no idea where Bryce is.”
Tina’s mind raced, recalling the oddness of the situation. It wasn’t like Justin to leave Bryce alone, especially not with strangers. The men who had taken him didn’t listen to her protests and had forcefully snatched him away. She couldn’t stop them; there were too many of them. The more she thought about it, the stranger it seemed. And now, to her shock, she had walked into the middle of this scene.
Justin’s expression darkened even further as he processed her words. “Did you do this?” he snapped, his eyes narrowing as he glared coldly at Weston.
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